Hitting the books: School starts in Exeter

EXETER — The playground area at Lincoln Street School was a flurry of activity Monday morning as students arrived with their backpacks and smiles for the first day of school.

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By Jennifer keefe

seacoastonline.com

By Jennifer keefe

Posted Aug. 27, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By Jennifer keefe
Posted Aug. 27, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

EXETER — The playground area at Lincoln Street School was a flurry of activity Monday morning as students arrived with their backpacks and smiles for the first day of school.

Before the bell rang at 8:30 a.m., students piled off buses and parents helped their youngsters find the line for their teacher's classroom.

Each line was identified by a metal folding chair with the teachers' names displayed on the back.

Fourth-grader Isabell Reyes, 8, was getting ready to stand in line for her teacher Mr. Schmidt's class.

"I'm excited to learn science!" Reyes said when asked what she was most looking forward to in the new school year.

The excitement of the first day of school seemed to trump any sadness about summer ending as students greeted friends they hadn't seen since the end of the last school year.

"The students are ready and very excited for a new school year," said Lincoln Street School Principal Dick Keays, who was walking around the playground area helping guide parents and students to the right places.

Aside from a hopeful expectation of candy being handed out, eight-year-old Phoebe Blake said she was also excited to have fourth-grade teacher Mr. Schmidt because of a pen pal writing activity with students at Phillips Exeter Academy.

"We're happy for her to have this teacher," said Phoebe's mother Bernadette Blake. "This is a great school and the teachers are wonderful."

Phoebe's father, Chuck Blake, added it's also nice Phoebe and her friends are in the same class.

At the sound of the bell, teachers led their lines of students inside, all the while greeting everyone and answering questions.

"I'm very excited," said Keays. "We're all ready for another great school year."

Monday marked the first day for all the schools in School Administrative Unit 16, which includes Exeter, Brentwood, East Kingston, Kensington, Newfields and Stratham.